Helmet chin strap

ABSTRACT

A CHIN BAND HAVING A CENTRAL, ELONGAGTED, SLIT RECEIVING THE BULGED PORTION OF A CHIN CUP SO THAT THE BAND SLIT PORTIONS ARE ARRANGED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE CUP AND CONVERGE TOGETHER AND TIGHTLY EXTEND THROUGH BAND RECEIVING SLOTS FORMED ON THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE CHIN CUP, WITH THE CUP BEING SLIDABLY MOVABLE WITHIN THE CHIN CUP, WITH ADJUSTING ITS POSITION ALONG THE BAND.   D R A W I N G

NOV. 16, 1971 J MARCHELLO 3,619,813

HELMET CHIN STRAP Filed Now. 19. 1969 .F G 5 INVENTOR JOHN L. MARCHELLO ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,619,813 HELMET CHIN STRAP John L. Marchello, 56405 Grand River, New Hudson, Mich. 48165 Filed Nov. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 878,159 Int. Cl. A42b 3/00 U.S. Cl. 2-3 R 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A chin band having a central, elongated, slit receiving the bulged portion of a chin cup so that the band slit portions are arranged along the edges of the cup and converge together and tightly extend through band receiving slots formed on the opposite ends of the chin cup, with the cup being slidably movable within the band slit for adjusting its position along the band.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Protective helmets are conventionally provided with suitable chin straps to keep the helmet in position upon the wearers head. Chin straps used for certain types of athletic helmets, such as football helmets, wrestling helmets and the like, as well as for some types of driver protective helmets are formed with a chin receiving portion to position the chin strap across the point of the wearers chin for better security of the helmet upon the head.

One form of such type chin strap is illustrated in the U.S. Patent to Keen, No. 2,898,596, granted Aug. 11, 1959, wherein the chin strap is split so that the point of the chin extends through a gap or a slip at the central portion of the strap.

Another form is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,811 to Jones, granted Jan. 13, 1959, showing the use of a chin receiving cup positioned within the split portion of the chin strap or band.

Another prior type of chin strap includes a plastic bulged chin cup secured to a band or strap which passes beneath it, rather than receiving it in a split area.

In these prior types of chin straps, the positioning of the chin cup or slit in the band requires that the opposite ends of the strap be adjustable in length so as to center the cup upon the wearers chin. This requires adjustable buckles or fastening devices at each end of the strap. This presents both manufacturing problems as well as additional elements which can be easily unsnapped or disconnected or released due to their adjustability feature.

In addition, where the strap or band is slit as described in the above mentioned patents, there is a tendency for the slit to enlarge when force is applied so as to in effect, rip the band from the center portion outwardly towards the ends.

The invention herein relates to an improvement in the above types of chin straps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The chin strap herein contemplates the use of a hand having an elongated central slit which receives a plastic chin cup, with the band extending through end slots in the cup and the cup being slidably movable along the length of the band for centering it upon the wearers chin. The split sections of the band surround both edges of the cup and converge through the band receiving slots in the cup which are so sized as to hold the band against possible tearing or enlargement of the slit. Consequently, with this structure, one adjustable fastener for one end of the band is eliminated and a simple, nonadjustable fastener may be used for that end, thereby increasing the ability of the strap to remain in place and simultaneously decreasing its cost.

In addition, the chin strap described herein may be so formed as to take advantage of sweat caused suction upon the wearers chin to better hold the cup in position and resist dislodgment under externally applied impact or the like types of forces.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of which the attached drawings form a part.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the chin strap with the band and chin cup separated for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of the chin strap with the parts assembled, and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view taken in the direction of arrows 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the band, per se, to a reduced scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The chin strap 10 is formed of an elongated band and a bulged chin cup 12. The bands may be formed of any suitable, flat strap material as is conventionally used. The chin cup is preferably formed of molded plastic which is semiflexible, that is, of a stiif but somewhat bendable sheet material, such as polyethylene or the like. Thus, it normally retains its shape but may be hent or deformed under suitable pressure.

One end 13 of the band is provided with a non-adrjustable type of fastener, such as either the male or female half 14 of a conventional snap fastener adapted to connect to the corresponding part mounted upon a conventional helmet. The opposite end 15 of the band is free so as to be engaged with an adjustable type of fastener, such as a conventional buckle type of fastener used on helmets.

The chin strap may be used on any type of helmet, as for example, athletic helmets including football, wrestling, hockey and the like types of helmets. It likewise may be used on conventional protective helmets used by drivers, police oflicers and the like. The shape and style of the helmet upon which it is used is not relevant to the invention herein.

The band 11 is provided with an elongated, centrally located slit 16 which thus separates the central portion of the band into two band sections 17 which receive between them the bulged portion 18 of the chin cup 12.

As can be seen, the bulge portion 18 is deeply dished and elongated to form the approximate size and shape of the wearers chin and to receive the chin therein. The opposite side edges of the bulge portion are formed into integral side flanges 19, with integral end flanges 20 formed on the opposite ends of the bulged portion.

A pair of transversely arranged slots 21 are formed in each of the end flanges to receive the band and to provide a cross-piece 22 which underlies the band at each end of the cup.

Preferably the slots 21 are so dimensioned as to be equal to or less than the transverse width of the band so that the band is tightly fitted therethrough with the slit 16 tightly compressed at the cross-pieces 22.

In use, the snap fastener 14 is secured to the corresponding snap fastener half of the helmet and then the wearer, by sliding the cup along the length of the band, positions it properly to receive his chin. Thereafter, the opposite band end 15 is adjustably secured to a suitable buckle connection or the like fastened to the helmet.

Here, the band sections 17 are located along the opposite edges of the bulge portion beneath the flanges 19 Where they press the opposite edges of the bulge portion towards the chin causing it to conform to the contours of the chin and to tightly hold the cup along its opposite edges against the chin.

The natural tendency of the band slit to enlarge or tear under load is prevented by the tight fit of the band within the slots 21 and the reinforcement of the crosspiece 22 at the opposite ends of the cup.

Where the helmet is of the type which will be worn for a considerable period of time such as on a drivers or crash helmet, perforations may be provided within the chin cup bulge for some air circulation. However, where the strap is to be used on a short time basis, as for example on wrestling helmets, or the like, the bulge is preferably imperforate so as to resist the escape of sweat built up during the activity of the wearer which thereby causes a suction to tightly hold the bulged portion against the chin and resist dislodgment therefrom. This feature is particularly useful in helmets provided to protect against vigorous activities of the wrestlin g sort.

Having fully described an operative embodiment of this invention, I now claim:

1. A helmet chin strap comprising:

an enlongated, fiat band whose opposite ends are adapted for fastening to the opposite sides of a protective helmet, and having a central, elongated slit of substantial length for dividing the central portion of the band into two elongated band sections;

a chin cup having a central, elongated, chin receiving bulge considerably shorter in length than the length of said slit, with integral side flange portions and with end flange portions having transverse band receiving slots;

said band snugly extending through said slots, with the bulge extending through said band slit and with the adjacent portions of the band sections being separated by the bulge between said end flange slots and arranged in face to face contact with the opposite edges of the bulge adjacent to said side flange portions thereof, and with the slots being no greater in width than the width of the band, and with the opposite ends of the respective slots pressing transversely inwardly the opposite edges of the portions of the band extending therethrough for tightly holding such band section portions transversely together edge to edge, against separation; the band being otherwise free of securement to the cup;

the cup being slidable along the length of the band for adjusting the position of the bulge relative to the band and thereby successively separating and positioning different portions of the band sections along the edges of the bulge while simultaneously holding the band sections together at the end flanges to prevent longitudinal tearing of the slit.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, and said cup being formed of a semi-flexible sheet material and the portions of the band sections separated by and arranged along the opposite edges of the bulge applying a localized force for pressing and conforming the bulge edges against the chin of the wearer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 131,152 9/1910 Edwards 2-3l9 2,867,811 1/1959 Jones 23 2,898,596 8/1959 Keen 23 3,187,342 6/1965 Aileo 23 JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner 

